Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-10-06
TIMBER CULTURE.
Suggestions on Raising Ornamental and
Other Trees from Seed.

40 SAoot SstoS5 ~ 40 NV PAchthpAO vi
practical for farmers to raise fruit
trees from seed. As rule they will
want but small number, and they
will find it cheaper to buy them from 9
reliable nurseryman. To raise fruit
trees from seed one must not only
know how to save. prepare and plant
the seed, but how to cultivate, bud,
graft and prime the young trees. To
learn how to practice all these opera
tons requires much study and practice.
1t also calls for variety of tools.
Grating and budding must be done al
times when farmers are engaged in
field work. 1t is often difficult for
persons who have small nurseries of
fruit trees to obtain sciOns of the
varieties they want for grating. With
rare exceptions a farmer who desires
TO set out an orchard will find it to his
advantage to obtain his trees from the
nearest reliable nurseryman. Raised
in a similar soil and climate and trans
ported but a short distance, they will
be much more likely to do well than
those grown at a distance and exposed
for some time before they are set out.
1t is practical and easy, however, for
4 farmer to raise most kinds of decidu-
Gus and several kinds of evergreen
trees from seed. The BOYS and the
girls Oh the farm will delight in gath
ering seed. sowing them, and taking
care OF the young trees. They will
take an interest i'm Ornamenting the
farm, in raising a grove, and in pro-
dUcing trees that will bear nuts. Chill.
remember under what condi-
tiOns the seeds of different kinds of
seeds will best terminate. If they are
successful in their operations they can
81 many forest. shade and ornamental
trees. and receive considerable money
for them. Whether the seeds of trees
are pa ted in the spring or fall, the
ground should be prepared in the lat
ter season of the year. 4 spo. should
be selected VIXEN the soil is quite free
from grass and weeds. 1t should be
near enough to the house to prevent
its being visited by squirrels and wild
birds that will be likely to eat the
seeds. 1t should not. however, be so
near that it will be visited by fowls
that viii scratch the soil and dig up,
if they do not devour, the seed almost
rs soon as it is planted
The soil for raising trees from seed
should be friable and tolerabIy reten-
tive of moisture. A clayey soil is too
tenacious and likely to become so COM
pact that the sprouts of seeds can not |
force their way through it. A sandy |
soil Is Objectionable for The reason that |
1t is likely to become very dry if there
Is a lack OF rain for several weeks. and |
Is likely TO wash away and leave the |
seed exposed during Il heavy rain. All |
things considered. good loan is the |
best. Ii il is not moderately rich some |
very old and wcll-rotted manure |
should be applied to it. Decaved |
leaves make a most excellent fertilizer
for sol! in which the seeds of trees are
10 be planted. Rank manure, like
that from the pig-pens or fresh dung.
should not be used. Wood ashes are
beneficial to land where trees are to
be raised. They contain potash, of
which small trees require large
Seed trees make very slow
growth While they are young, and for
that reason no aims should be spared |
TO provide them with suitable food.
The soil for the seed-bed should be
deeply worked and finely pulverized.
Ii it is small spade and rake will be
found to be the best implements for
preparing ii. Although the soil should
DE we'll pulyelized it should not be
loose. If it is it will part with its
moisture very readily and leave the
seed too dry to terminate. Beds four
feet wide and of any desired length are
very convenientfor starting fruit trees
i'll. They should be raised but little
above the surface IN have walks about
two feet wide between them. One can |
stand in the walk and pull out the
weeds half way across the bed without |
placing the foot on it. Some growers |
of forest trees SOW the seed broadcast |
and cover it with Il rake. but the best |
results will generally be obtained by
planting them in rows about foot |
apart and reaching across the beds.
There is Il great advantage in placing
sticks a. the ends of the rows. as they |
show their locations and allow the |
ground to be worked with the hoe and |
rake without disturbing the seed and |
.,oang plants. Most kinds of seeds
should not be planted more than half |
an inch deep. After they are covered |
the soil should be trodden down firm
over the rows.
The seeds of most forest trees ger
inmate very slowly. and some of them
do not come up until the second |
Year after they are planted. Much de-
ponds on the quality of the seed, the
way 1t was preserved, and the season.
The growth of forest trees during the